Patriots Blow Out Chargers To Get Back To .500, Stay Alive In Playoff Hunt
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots got themselves back to .500 on Sunday in Los Angeles, and they did it with a flourish.
Riding a run-heavy offensive attack and getting significant contributions from special teams, New England opened up a 21-0 lead late in the second quarter -- a lead which ballooned to 28-0 on a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown just before halftime -- en route to a 45-0 victory over the Chargers.
The win improves the Patriots to 6-6 on the season and keeps them alive on the periphery of the race for a playoff spot in the AFC.
Cam Newton was 12-for-19 for 69 yards and a touchdown as a passer, with 48 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert struggled mightily, completing 26 of 53 passes for 209 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
The 45-point loss was the worst in the 61-year history of the Chargers franchise.
The Patriots produced an impressive drive on their opening possession, something that's missing for the bulk of the season. They marched 75 yards on 13 plays, with Damien Harris (36 yads on six carries) and Newton (21 yards, TD, on four carries) carrying the load. Bill Belichick opted to go for it on a fourth-and-2 at the Chargers' 12-yard line, with Newton converting on a run up the gut. Newton initially scored a touchdown from the 5-yard line, but a replay review ruled that the ball was at the 1-yard line when he stepped out of bounds. Newton reached over the line on the next snap for the score -- his 10th rushing TD of the season -- to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead after the 7:10 drive.
The Chargers converted a fourth down of their own on their first drive of the game, this one coming on a 2-yard run from Kalen Ballage on a fourth-and-1 from the New England 41-yard line. But a Deatrich Wise sack on a third-and-10 forced the Chargers to settle for a field goal attempt, and Michael Badgley missed the 46-yard attempt wide right.
Special teams proved critical not long after, when Gunner Olszewski broke off a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Olszewski did the same last week but lost the touchdown due to a penalty. This one, though, counted, and it gave the Patriots a 14-0 lead.
New England extended the lead to 21-0 before halftime with a 16-play, 54 yard drive that ended with a 2-yard run up the middle from Newton. That drive was kept alive by Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery punching the helmet off David Andrews on a third-and-19 stop by L.A., giving New England a new set of downs at the L.A. 23-yard line.
The Chargers tried to get on the board before halftime, sending Badgley onto the field for a 58-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds. But Cody Davis broke into the backfield and blocked the kick. Devin McCourty picked it up and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. That was McCourty's second touchdown of the season (with the other one coming on pick-six), and it put the Patriots up 28-0 at the break.
Things got worse for the Chargers at the start of the second half, as Herbert tried to throw across his body on a third-and-3 to Jalen Guyton. Chase Winovich came running from behind the play, though, and the defensive end came up with his first career interception.
The Patriots capitalized on that short field, with Newton completing a bullet to N'Keal Harry on a third-and-goal for a touchdown to make the score 35-0.
J.C. Jackson intercepted a deep Herbert pass on the Chargers' next drive. The Patriots didn't turn that into points, but Justin Bethel saved a Jake Bailey punt from reaching the end zone, with Davis downing it at the 5-yard line. The Chargers ended up punting on that possession, and Olszewski turned in another huge return -- this one going for 61 yards to set the Patriots up at the Chargers' 17-yard line.
That return turned into a field goal for Nick Folk, extending the lead to 38-0.
The Chargers tried to manage something out of the day by going for it on a fourth-and-4 at the Patriots' 30-yard line, but Adam Butler bullied his way into the backfield for a sack.
Jarrett Stidham entered the game for New England, and he promptly completed two of three passes, the last of which went for a 38-yard touchdown to Olszewski. Folk's PAT made it 45-0 with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter.
The Chargers tried again to get on the scoreboard, but Herbert's pass to Keenan Allen on fourth-and-10 at the Patriots' 30-yard line fell incomplete, leading to another turnover on downs.
The Chargers regained possession with 2:07 left in the game, looking to spoil the Patriots' shutout. But the Patriots came up with yet another defensive stop, ensuring the shutout would stand.
The Patriots will be staying in Los Angeles this week, as they're set to play the Rams on Thursday night in the same stadium.
